BajaNomad - Baja Double Header!

Baja Double Header!

Ken Cooke - 8-10-2006 at 08:55 PM

We're going Thanksgiving week to Mission Impossible! November 18-25th, 2006. We'll also check out Coco's Corner, Bahia Las Animas, Mision San Borja, and San Luis Gonzaga.

December 16-18th, we're doing the Pole Line Road all over again. What's cool is that we have a new rockcrawling section called, "Suzuki Falls" to tackle. This is a Class 4 section of trail where you'd better be prepared for some big rocks.

That's it for me...

Over and out...

TMW - 8-11-2006 at 07:00 AM

Sounds like a couple of great trips. I'll be down for the 1000 on the 16th thru the 19th. Wouldn't mind doing the Pole Line again and maybe going further up the wash before turning up basketball hill, on foot if necessary. I rode it on a MC in 90 and there is a water fall up there. No water unless it rains.

Ken Cooke - 8-11-2006 at 06:17 PM

Great! TW the MC guy in December! That waterfall area is no joke...Good to have you along...

Neal Johns - 8-11-2006 at 06:38 PM

Have not been down to the waterfall for 20 years, but then there was a narrow go-down for brave drivers with narrow short wheelbase rigs on the left side. Ken?
A Myers Manx went down it and met us downstream. My Land Cruiser was chicken. :lol:

Ken Cooke - 8-13-2006 at 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TW
Wouldn't mind doing the Pole Line again and maybe going further up the wash before turning up basketball hill, on foot if necessary.

We took a late-model Tacoma with a 2.5" lift and 31" Tires through this terrain, and although he hit plenty of rocks on his undercarraige, Ivan's Tacoma made it to the Suzuki and back. The terrain is full of overgrown brush and rocks everywhere. I messed up the seals on both front & rear differentials, and I plan to have diff gliders installed before this run in December like Chris Glass had installed on his. Overall, it was plenty of excitement for everyone.

cpg - 8-28-2006 at 09:23 PM

Lots of Rock!!

[Edited on 8-29-2006 by cpg]

Ken Cooke - 8-28-2006 at 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Neal Johns
Have not been down to the waterfall for 20 years, but then there was a narrow go-down for brave drivers with narrow short wheelbase rigs on the left side. Ken?
A Myers Manx went down it and met us downstream. My Land Cruiser was chicken. :lol:

Sounds like the kind of challenge I'd like to see to believe. I'll drive tot the waterfall and check out the narrow go-down you mention. Perhaps with my group in tow, it will be a winch-fest from bottom back to the top!?! Gotta buy my synthetic winch cable before this one it looks like... Neal, do you have pictures of this???

El Camote - 8-29-2006 at 10:31 AM

Ken,
Out of curiosity, how do you think a stock Baja bug would do on the Mission trail? Been wanting to do this trip for years.

David K - 8-29-2006 at 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by El Camote
Ken,
Out of curiosity, how do you think a stock Baja bug would do on the Mission trail? Been wanting to do this trip for years.

Mike... you decide:

You are welcome to hop onboard the Tacoma, when we go back again!

Ken Cooke - 8-29-2006 at 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by El Camote
Ken,
Out of curiosity, how do you think a stock Baja bug would do on the Mission trail? Been wanting to do this trip for years.

4WD is a must. Although, we do have tow straps to get you in and out... :light:

Neal Johns - 8-30-2006 at 10:16 PM

El Camote, while Ken sets the rules for his trip, if you have 31" tires on your BB, it should make it to the top of the bad hill (Widow Maker) where you can park and hike a mile in. DK's pics above are on the hill and past it. One of my friends conned a lady with a stock Explorer into going that far. I heard the scrapes all the way to Lytle Creek. I think she killed him.

Ken Cooke - 8-30-2006 at 10:24 PM

If he doesn't care, why worry about the details???

El Camote - 8-31-2006 at 10:17 AM

Yeah. I kinda' figgered that last hill might be a clutch-burning, pan-slamming nightmare. :wow:

And if it's only another mile in to the mission/campsite, that's no problemo. Sounds like everything up to that last hill is doable? Think I'm pretty close to 31" with 225/75-15 on the back and lots of ground clearance.

Would really love to join you guys but it's a long shot. Have to start being nice to the wife now and build up points to attain the coveted Baja furlough. :spingrin:

bajalou - 8-31-2006 at 03:00 PM

If you need some 31's Mike, stop by and I'll loan you some--

Ken Cooke - 8-31-2006 at 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by El Camote
Yeah. I kinda' figgered that last hill might be a clutch-burning, pan-slamming nightmare. :wow:

Tell her Suzanne will be going - one of the women who wore Orange to David K's Amigo party way back when, and she'll want to come too.

TMW - 8-31-2006 at 05:52 PM

El Camote the advantage your BB has is with the engine over the rear wheels for drive. One thing you could do is get one of those cheap winches at harbor freight or some of the auto store, about $40-$70. They are rated at 2000 lbs dead weight and 6000 lbs rolling weight. Also buy a pulley for it and some tow straps. The pulley will double the ratings. Then if you do have a problem at the widow maker put a tow strap around a rock and out you go.

David K - 8-31-2006 at 05:56 PM

Orange was the color, thanks to El Camote's better half: Mermelada (Wendy):

Neal Johns with Mermelada talking to Mike Humfreville...

Here's the orange groupies at Viva Baja #2 (May, 2001)...

'O' for Orange! Mermelada spearheaded the 'Orange is In' colour (she's British) for Baja gatherings. Top row: Mary Ann Humfreville, Jeans, Graham Mackintosh, Michelle 'M', Suzanne, Neal Johns, Mike Danley. Bottom row: LN (Ellen), Baja Barb, Marla, and Mermelada (Wendy).

[Edited on 9-1-2006 by David K]

Ken Cooke - 8-31-2006 at 05:57 PM

Where is the oil pan located on a Baja Bug? Are there any vulnerable parts to worry about? I'm thinking we could pull him all of the way out since several of us are fully locked. I just hate to think he'd leave his Bug 1 mi. from camp overnight...

David K - 8-31-2006 at 06:00 PM

I say let him drive all the way in Ken... and just winch him up the Widowmaker on the way out (if needed)! :biggrin:

Ken Cooke - 8-31-2006 at 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
I say let him drive all the way in Ken... and just winch him up the Widowmaker on the way out (if needed)! :biggrin:

Done deal. Camote is in. And it will be on video - DVD by summer '07.

Here is the only spot I'm concerned about :

Those bugs have a low center of gravity, and we'll probably position two guys on the driver's side to hold the bug down (if possible) while off-camber like this. Otherwise, the uphill sections will be easy stuff to pull the Bug up...

David K - 8-31-2006 at 06:12 PM

When is the Pole Line video going to be done???

Ken Cooke - 8-31-2006 at 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
When is the Pole Line video going to be done???

K-Gi in Toronto, Can. and me in Riverside are now working on the score. I'll be giving it away on the Pole Line Run in December, and it will be for sale/available 1/07.

David K - 9-1-2006 at 04:08 PM

OKAY... great!

Neal Johns - 9-1-2006 at 07:23 PM

Ken, (Jeep driver),
The oil pan is on the bottom of the engine. :lol:

El Camote - 9-1-2006 at 08:44 PM

All those loose rocks, how sloppy! I'm bringing a couple bags of cement and we'll smooth over the "widowmaker" so a skateboard could go down it! :yes:

Lou, thanks for the offer of the 31s. I was actually thinking maybe you'd like to caravan down from S.F. on Sat. the 18th, overnighting in Gonzaga then meeting up with Ken and crew at Santa Ynez (Inez) on Sun. afternoon for the trip in. Hmmmm?

TW, are you talking about a come-along or an electric winch? Sounds like a great idea either way.

Neil, where is your right hand in that picture with my wife?

Ken, air-cooled VWs don't really have a vulnerable oil pan, that hangs down anyway. That's why they only hold 2 1/2 qts of oil. All their sensitive genitals are tucked up nice and high. Not much under there to get bashed by a rock. Wish I could say the same. :rolleyes:

David, I forgot about that whole orange nightmare. I love the picture with everyone wearing orange clothing except Graham... who has orange hair.

Ken Cooke - 9-1-2006 at 08:54 PM

The plan that we implimented on the Pole Line Rd. was for winch-equipped vehicles to travel in between non-winch-equipped vehicles. So, no real need to invest in a winch since most of the Jeeps have one and will be ready to use it if needed.

TMW - 9-2-2006 at 10:12 AM

El Camote it's an electric portable winch. I bought one after going into the mission a few years ago. It hooks on to the toe hooks or a hitch ball. About the size of a battery box. For the price it's a bargain and with a pulley you would be hard pressed to get so stuck you couldn't get out unless your one of them 10,000 lb dodge diesels, then you would need a Toyota to pull you out (or possibly a ssshh jeep). Maybe even the Tundra.

[Edited on 9-2-2006 by TW]

Mission sounds like a great trip...

neilmac - 9-2-2006 at 01:01 PM

Ken,

Is a K-5 Blazer too wide for the trails? Looks like you guys are running narrow-track rigs.

A guy here in Indio is trying to sell me an older K-5; looks like it would go anywhere... maybe already has!

Neil

Quote:

Originally posted by Ken Cooke
We're going Thanksgiving week to Mission Impossible! November 18-25th, 2006. We'll also check out Coco's Corner, Bahia Las Animas, Mision San Borja, and San Luis Gonzaga.

Ken Cooke - 9-2-2006 at 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by neilmac
Ken,

Is a K-5 Blazer too wide for the trails? Looks like you guys are running narrow-track rigs.

There were two H2 Hummers on the Mission Impossible trail, and they made it through the trail without any body damage or tire failures. That is a big rig, and no problems to mention.

Johnny - 9-11-2006 at 12:05 AM

Thanks for the link Ken, Here is my Idea:

Are any of you "off roaders" going down to help. It seems like motorcycles, jeeps, atvs would be really helpful in getting supplies / info in and out of the rural areas. It would be great if there could be a relief 1000 Just trying to help. Love.